Keeping a check on the power supply to your PC is very important because it helps you on different occasions like installing new components or overclocking your PC.
Most of the users completely ignore the PSU on their PC, they add new components to their PC without knowing how much power supply they’re getting. This can be dangerous because your power requirements might be exceeding the amount supplied by your PSU.
Some also overclock their systems without any PSU details, which is very reckless because you need to be completely aware of the power supply you’re getting and the amount of power supply you need for your PC. Adding more load than the received power supply can result in damaging your PC severely.
If you want to know about the power supply your PC is receiving, and how to check it? Then you’re in the right place. We will discuss all the details about your PSU, so make sure to read the article till the end, so you don’t miss any vital information.
Sadly, no software is available to check all the information about your PSU; you have to do everything manually. So, let’s dig in and start our discussion about why it is essential to know about your PSU and how to check it.
Contents
Why do you need to know about your PSU?
Most of the users have asked us if it is so important to know about our PSU and what role power supply plays in the normal functioning of our PC. Let me assure you that PSU is one of the most vital components in your PC, it regulates the mains AC to low-voltage DC power used by the different components of your computer.
There are quite a few reasons to know about the PSU of your system; some of the primary reasons are; overclocking your computer and installing new components in your system like RAM, graphics card, cooling system, storage devices, etc.
If you’re overclocking your PC or adding new components to your PC, make sure to check that your power requirements are not exceeding the power supplied by your PSU. If you add new components to your PC, and the power requirements go way beyond the PSU supply, your system may collapse and can be severely damaged.
This is why it is crucial to keep a check on your PSU. As I discussed earlier, there is no software available that shows complete information about your PSU; you have to do everything manually. So, let’s see how you can check the power supply to your PC without wasting any time.
How to check the Power Supply to your PC?
There are two cases when it comes to checking the power supply to your PC:
- If you own a custom made PC
- If you own a pre-assembled PC
If you own a pre-assembled PC, you can easily check your PC’s power supply by reading the manual or visiting the manufacturer’s official website for detailed information. But, if you own a custom PC, you have to manually open the chassis side panel of your PC to check the details of your PSU.
To check the power supply on your custom PC, the first thing you need to do is completely turn off your PC and disconnect all the cables, so there’s no power supplied to your PC. The second step is to open the side panel of your PC by unscrewing it and take a look inside.
Check the PSU label or sticker on your PSU
The first step to check your PC’s power supply is to open the side panel and look out for a sticker or printed layout on your PSU. There’s always a label or sticker present on the PSU that can be easily noticed and contains all the information you need.
If you don’t see any sticker or label printed on your PSU, that’s because the manufacturers have printed the label on the other side, which is not visible to you. In this case, you will have to unscrew the PSU and take it out of your chassis to check the power supply. Taking out the PSU should not be that hard; you will only need to unscrew a few screws to take the PSU out of your system.
Whether you have noticed the PSU label in the first place or noticed after taking out the PSU from your computer, you will see a label or a printed layout that contains all the information about your power supply.
The Label contains all the detailed information about your power supply like AC input, DC output, Max power, Total power, manufacturer, model number, certified ratings, and so on. It will provide you with all the information that you need to know about your power supply.
Check the manufacturer’s manual or website.
This step is only applicable for pre-assembled PCs; you can easily check your PC’s power supply by reading the manual or visiting the manufacturer’s official website for detailed information.
Reading the manual is probably the easiest and safest way to check the power supply of your pre-assembled PC. Most manufacturers add an international manual that includes several languages, so if you’re lucky enough to understand one of the languages, search for words like PSU or Power Supply.
The manual contains all the detailed information about your PSU which you’re looking for. If your PSU model did not come with a manual, make sure to check the sides of the PSU box. Most manufacturers print all the detailed information and specs about your PSU on the side of the box.
If you misplaced the manual somewhere, or it didn’t feature specifications on the side of the box, you can also try visiting the official website of the manufacturer. Search your PC’s name or model number over there, and check the complete information about your PC. Scroll down the specs of your PC and look out for a power supply, which will contain detailed information about your PSU.
You can also try to search your PC model number on Google, and you might get all the information about your PC within seconds. You can check your computer’s power supply and make further plans about whether you should add more components to your PC or upgrade the PSU.
FAQs
- How do I check my power supply?
Ans: For custom PCs, you will need to open the side panel and look out for a label or printed layout on the PSU. For pre-assembled PCs, you can visit the official website, search the model number on Google, or read the manual to fetch all the information.
- How do I know if my power supply is dying?
Ans: You can easily notice if your power supply is dying; some of the major symptoms of a dying power supply are; freezing or crashing while running your PC, random computer crashes, random computer restarts, loud noise coming out of the PC, frequent disconnection of different PC components.
- How to find out what power supply you have without opening the computer?
Ans: There is only one way to check your computer’s power supply without opening it, and that is to check the PSU box/manual or search online.
- How to tell if your power supply is bad?
Ans: If your PC is frequently crashing or losing power while running, there is a big chance that your power supply is weak or flawed. Some other symptoms that show that your power supply is going bad are; random BSoD, loud noise, and burning smell coming out of the case. You can also try running a test by using a separate PSU to check the performance, which might confirm the status of your current PSU.
- How do I check my power supply wattage Windows 10?
Ans: There is no software available to check your supply wattage; you will need to open the PC case or search online.
- What causes power supply failure?
Ans: The main reason that causes power supply failure is high-voltage or surge currents. If there is a high-voltage spike or continuous supply of current surges, it might result in power supply failure.
- How big of a power supply do I need?
Ans: It entirely depends on the type of PC you own; most modern PCs require a power supply between 400-1000W. If you own a gaming PC with all the high-end components installed, you might need a 600-800W power supply for your computer. If you own an average gaming PC, you might need a much lower power supply, something around 400-600 watts.
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